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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why is Rudolph upset at the end of his confession with Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

2. Who is the first character introduced in "Absolution"?

3. Why did Rudolph's father tell him to go to confession three days before the narrative present?

4. What is the first "easy sin" Rudolph confessed to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

5. What is Rudolph's father's occupation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Rudolph try to force himself to do as he waited at the confessional in Chapter 2?

2. What plan does Rudolph come up with at the end of Chapter 2 to avoid having to take communion at church the next day?

3. What is Father Schwartz's mood at the start of the story? How do you know?

4. What object in Father Schwartz's room reminds him of "gruesome labyrinths" (1)? Why does he stare at this object in the first place?

5. What questions does Father Schwartz ask Rudolph when he says he has committed a terrible sin?

6. What words does Father Schwartz use when addressing Rudolph in the confessional in Chapter 2?

7. What does Father Schwartz tell Rudolph he should have done when he was in the barn with the boy and the girl?

8. Who is Blatchford Sarnmenington? What happens when Rudolph thinks of him?

9. What "easy sins" did Rudolph confess to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

10. Why did Rudolph's father tell him he had to go to confession three days before Rudolph came to see Father Schwartz in his home? Did Rudolph obey his father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Genre is a category assigned to a literary work. What are some genres that could be used to classify "Absolution"? What is the main genre of the story? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the use of flashbacks in "Absolution." How did this impact your reading? Was this effective of ineffective? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Absolution." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

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